In today’s “have it now” culture, we’ve lost the art of waiting. Charging ahead might be what you’re used to, but the Bible places great value on the skill of being patient.
Dr. Stanley takes a close look at the right and wrong ways to wait in this powerful message. Learn how to let peace and confidence rule your heart while you let God work.
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next on InTouch how should we wait well
what are you making a purchase of
whether you are facing an emergency the
one thing you don’t want to hear is wait
none of us like to wait we’d like to
have it now and we’re living in a time
when now it’s becoming more and more
relevant because most anything you want
today you can have pretty quickly there
was a time when you had to think in
terms of wait a month or something then
it got down to two weeks then it’s a
week and now it’s almost a day and
sometimes you would get it the same day
look what a mess we’re in Marla in this
country because people sexually are not
willing to wait till they get married
everybody wants everything now and you
would think that we we’ve finally come
to the conclusion that it’s okay to have
everything you want when you want it God
didn’t make it that way
he knew that waiting was very very
important if he didn’t he wouldn’t have
had so many times in the description to
me bring it to our mind and so the 27th
psalm for example if you look at this
27th psalm and the 14th verse says wait
for the Lord be strong and let your
heart take courage yes wait for Lord now
what would he say it that way because he
knows sometimes it’s not easy to wait
it’s not easy to wait for example if you
have expected something for a very long
time wait for the Lord be strong and let
your heart take courage be strong
sometimes it takes strength to just wait
and he says take courage yes wait for
the Lord in what area of your life is it
the most difficult for you to have to
wait
well there is it is in a relationship to
somebody else or is it money oh and what
relationship of your life do you have
the most problem just having to wait
well I think about how many times God
talks about waiting waiting is very
important as far as God is concerned
it’s important in our physical life it’s
important enough spiritual life in fact
one of the key lessons in the scripture
is learning to wait upon God how many
times it monitors us to wait and yet we
don’t like to wait we prefer to have
things right now but all of us are wise
enough I think to know that some things
it’s better not to have just when you
want it that sometimes that having
something right now is not wise maybe
we’re not ready for it
for example there’s some things that are
dangerous there’s some things that are
dangerous not only physically but
emotionally so we have to be careful and
we have to be conscious of the fact that
waiting is more than just an idea it is
a principle of the Word of God how many
times he admonishes us to wait and so
when we think about it and he makes it
so simple when he says wait for the Lord
and then notice the next phrase be
strong and let your heart take courage
which is his way of saying sometime it’s
not going to be easy to wait this is
that wait for the Lord be strong and let
your heart take courage yes wait for the
Lord why would God tell us the wait for
anything because he knows that waiting
has great advantages it’s good not to
have everything you want when you want
it it’s good to have to wait for some
things
in fact some things it becomes richer
and richer when you have to wait and
wait for it and we live in a time when
we want it now you can have it now
that’s bet the way it is for most things
you can have it now but there are
consequences and paying those
consequences is usually not worth what
you get waiting upon the Lord is a key
principle of the word of God and so when
I think about that and I think about
some of the scriptures for example turn
if you will to Isaiah chapter 40 for a
moment and I want you to notice
something in this passage Isaiah chapter
40 listen to this do you not know and
have you not heard the everlasting God
the Lord the creator of the ends of the
earth does not become weary or tired
his understanding is inscrutable he
gives strength to the weary and to him
who lacks might he increases power
though youth grow weary and tired and
vigorous young men stumble badly yet
those who wait for the Lord what happens
will gain a new strength they will mount
up with wings like eagles they will run
and not you tired they will walk and not
become weary one of when a follower of
Jesus learns the principle of waiting
upon the Lord you learn one of the most
important principles in the Word of God
you can just go from Genesis to
Revelation waiting upon the Lord is not
a popular idea it’s not an easy
principle but it is absolutely an
essential principle if you’re going to
be the person God wants you to be if
you’re gonna do the things he wants you
to do there’s something about that
simple principle you said daddy
áit that that four-letter word was that
so important ask God you start in
Genesis ask God well if you violate his
caution to you to wait you always pay a
price I want to say it again when you
violate that principle and stepping
ahead of God not waiting for him you
always pay a price that’s why so many
times none of those who wait for the
Lord will be ashamed in some 37 those
who wait for the Lord will inherit the
land that is God will give you what your
heart needs and desires if you wait for
his timing he’s a good God and sometimes
we act like well if I don’t have it now
it’s like God will forget let me ask you
what is the only thing God forgets what
is it forgiven sin he forgets it and his
people will ask you sometimes so why
don’t you do why have you waited so long
why didn’t you do this why don’t you why
what do you wait for this and wait for
that and wait for the other because if
you’re wise you wait till you hear from
God that think about this I think about
people who pray and no doubt let’s just
say that everybody prays at night before
they go to bed do you pray about the
things that you want that God has given
you a caution not now when you pray and
ask God about making a purchase and you
and you say well go ahead and stop me so
it must be all right mm-hmm
sounding like a teenager that’s not
that’s not what that’s about if you ask
God for something watch this carefully
if you ask God about something that you
are obligated to wait until God gives
you permission to do it how many times
does he say wait wait wait wait wait
upon the Lord how wise it is the wait
upon the Lord and think about this how
the most people wait do you wait
impatiently
that means you complain about it you
tell other people about it you tell God
about it
and you fuss at God because he had
already done it
you wait nervously oh oh god am I gonna
get it around my eyes will you do
something Lord you help me help me help
me or do you wake complaining think
about this think about God looking down
on you while you’re praying and asking
him about something and just asking him
and complaining all the time because he
hadn’t given it to you yet
and then people they wait questioning
God Lord why don’t you do it now think
about something that you’ve asked out
about in your life that he didn’t do
immediately what was your response
didn’t you question think about this
didn’t you question his judgment well
why not now knowing in your heart if you
think how unreasonable this is you make
a request before God I’m something
that’s legitimate and he doesn’t give it
to you right then and then you come back
and say well now Lord what are you
waiting for and you can’t come up with
in there good reason why God hadn’t
given it to you now and so what happens
you begin to complain in your heart you
know that God says asking that you be
given you seeking is your fun not can
that you’ll be able to you that is God
is a good wonderful awesome God very
very generous given all of us more than
we deserve and yet we don’t get it when
we want it we come complaining stop and
think
would God withhold something from you
that is good for you know what he
withhold it if now is the right time
know if you stop and think any any time
God would hold something from you it’s
God withholding something out of wisdom
love and for our benefit that he knows
that later is better later we’ll be
ready for it
they know will be equipped when we’re
not always equipped for everything we
asked for and you would say that to your
teenager your grandchildren you’d say to
them there’s some things you’re not
ready for and at the same time you ask
God and he doesn’t give it to you and
you want you question God
so listen to this think about all these
attitudes impatiently nervously
complaining questioning frustrated
irritated and miserable II we wait what
have you been asking God for that he has
not given you I cannot tell you how
important waiting upon Almighty God is
because it is the key to the way God
operates I don’t I can’t think of much
I’ve asked God for that I got
immediately and watch this sometimes
we’re not ready
sometimes what we’re asking for is the
right thing but God knows when you’re
ready for them when you’re not and so we
complain about God because he’s because
he’s not giving us what we want when
it’s not that he’s not giving us what we
he’s waiting til we get ready and
sometimes he’s waiting til we realize
that he’s the source of what we’re
looking for in life and not some what
else and sometimes he wants to teach us
the fact we don’t need that we think we
need that he knows we don’t need that he
knows that would be a stumbling block in
our life he knows that he has something
better than that and so what does God
say he says wait upon the Lord be strong
I’m never good courage when I say on the
Lord and so we think about how we should
wait so I hope you jot these down how
should we wait we should wait patiently
we should wait patiently and when I when
I think about how many times we’re
admonished in the Word of God
I waited patiently for the Lord and he
inclined to me and heard my cry he
brought me out of the pit of destruction
out of America set my feet upon a rock
making my footsteps firm listen to this
he put a new song in my mouth a song of
praise to our God many will see in fear
and we’ll trust in the Lord that is
you’re gonna be blessed if you wait but
whatever you’re looking for and
searching for it and what you need in
life if you wait for God’s timing none
of us would question the fact that
you’re wiser than we are we know that
he’s was that we aren’t so therefore
whatever I’m asking him about surely I
know that he knows the right time the
best time watch this and he knows that
if I hit it ahead of time I won’t enjoy
it he knows if I get at the right time
enjoy the rest of my life there are not
many principles in the Word of God more
important than wait upon the Lord
wait I say upon the Lord so secondly how
should we wait we should wait quietly
listen this Psalm 62 my soul waits in
silence for god only hears what that
means I stop complaining I wait quietly
and stop complaining thank you lord I
know that in your given time and your
good time you will provide exactly what
I’m asking for and then of course we
wait trusting him now where it’s waiting
just doesn’t mean that we don’t say
anything we don’t do anything but
waiting what waiting is actively
trusting God I’m trusting you Lord is
saying I’m trusting you Lord that is I’m
not fretting about it if I’m fretting
I’m not trusting but he wants us to wait
trusting him trusting in the Lord with
all of our heart
leaning not to our own understanding and
all of our ways acknowledging him he’ll
bring it to pass would you say that
you’re a trusting person
think about your prayer life for a
moment first of all do you pray every
day if you don’t you’re gonna get in
trouble all of us need to talk to him
every day do you do you pray patiently
and how many times have I heard this
well I ask God about it
and I prayed several times about it and
I don’t think God was listening to me
well so I would ask the question what
does God have to do think about this
what does God have to do in your life to
assure you that he’s listening without
seeing anything audibly to you what does
he have to do can you trust him to keep
his word shouldn’t that be enough asking
that you be given you seek and you
should find knock and it shall be open
to you
not necessarily today or next week and
next month but am I willing to believe
him because I know that it’s that what
I’m asking for is scriptural that’s
right it’s good it’s a kindness of God I
feel free about that but the timing why
can’t why do I have to wait so remember
this God and his wisdom and love always
has a very specific reason but causing
us the wait for some particular thing
that we were asking about because watch
this all we see is what’s in front of us
God sees not only what’s in front of us
but he sees what’s beyond that and
beyond that and beyond that and he sees
the effect it’ll have in our life
whether we wait or whether we don’t wait
and so winning is a very important
principle in the world of God I’m to
wait expectantly listen to this I would
have despaired unless I had believed I
would see the goodness of the Lord that
times when their situations and
circumstances we think it’s absolutely
essential that I have this of that now
when that’s really not true this is a
principle of Scripture you wait till you
get God’s permission to make serious
decisions and I mean many decisions are
not big decisions as small decisions but
they’re serious because the consequences
if I’m only looking from here to there
I’m not going to see it the Spirit of
God came into your life the moment you
trusted him as your Savior one of his
primary
to come into your life was that seal you
as a child of God but also they give you
direction and guidance that’s one of its
primary purposes they give guidance and
direction in a sinful wicked vile world
we have what we have is we have God
living within our spirit they give us
guidance and the right you doing to say
no when to say yes when they go this way
when they go that way
it is foolish to try to live your life
in this world without God and without
listening which means your prayer life
ought to have a priority in your life
every day the priority of our life ought
to be time we spend alone with him being
quiet and a good time to do that’s when
you start the day out there people who
work in situations and circumstances
every day the opposites they live in
they gonna walk into a den of temptation
walk into a den of a wickedness and
violence and foul language and all the
rest but they work there and they have
to they have to be that this particular
point in their life you cannot go in to
work wherever you work forgetting God
and just doing what you want to do we
have to be sensitive to our surroundings
careful but who sees what what we listen
to what we don’t listen to and who is
trying to influence us in some way wait
upon the Lord we wait trustingly quietly
patiently expectantly I would have
despaired we wait courageously wait for
the Lord be strong and let your heart
take courage watch this God knows that
there’s some things it takes courage the
way for it takes courage to wait you
just have to wait though you don’t want
to wait sometimes yeah sometimes we
can’t we can’t even come up with a
reason why God wouldn’t do it now and if
I’ve heard one thing in the past I’ve
heard that so many times well what what
what is God waiting for well you know I
could give you all kind of answers but
the truth is he’s waiting
he’s waiting from a heart of love they
give you what you’re asking for if it’s
his will if it’s not as well you’re not
gonna have it but he’s waiting til the
time is right so I want you to think for
just a moment I’m gonna give you 15
seconds to think about something you
ready and I want you to think about
something you’ve been asking God for
something maybe for somebody else or
something for yourself and how have you
I’m gonna give you 15 seconds to respond
to this how have you been responding to
your request to God you’ve got 15
seconds to think about it
all right have you been waiting upon him
courageously patiently knowing that he
always wants what’s best for you
in other words are you patiently waiting
for God to answer your petition or you
come into him over and over and over
again saying God why not why not yet
I’ve prayed about this and I’ve thought
about it why not and here’s his answer
because I love you that’s the reason God
is not going to deprive us of anything
that’s good for us that he knows we need
that it’s okay for us to have that we
will enjoy not disobey him not make it a
god in their life some things you’ll
never get because God knows you would
become a God in your life then of course
we’re to wait standing on God’s Word
listen I wait for the Lord my soul is
wait and in his word do I hope so how do
you wait now let me remind you one thing
one of the reasons we have to wait is
because of sin in our life and God knows
how to get our attention
when there’s something in our life
that’s not right we’re asking it for
something else and we’re thinking over
here and they God here’s what I need and
God is saying well over here’s the
reason you can’t have it now when you
deal with this I’ll deal with that as
long as you won’t deal with this I’m not
gonna deal with that sin is a barrier
the blessing and if we want God’s
blessing and if we want to shorten the
time with look at our heart be sure it’s
clean with submissives where we want
what he wants whatever whatever that is
then more than likely we’ll receive
whether we’re asking for but what I want
you to see is this God doesn’t miss a
single opportunity
to teach me to trust him it doesn’t make
a difference whether you’re 21 81 he’s
always in the process of teaching us a
trusting probably every single one of us
seated here would say that there is
something I’m praying about I’m trusting
God for I’m waiting about it are you
waiting patiently as we said quietly
trusting expectantly courageously
with confidence are you AE trusting him
to hear that’s a prayer or has God
brought something to your mind in the
last 25 minutes that he wants you to
deal with more than likely if something
cropped up in your mind that has to do
with what you’ve been asking him about
that’s the thing he has his finger on
that’s the thing you need to deal with
if you want God answer your prayer he’s
a prayer answering God and Jesus made it
so simple when he was teaching Sermon on
the Mount he said ask and it should be
given you seek you shall find knock it
shall be opened unto you in other words
God is so willing this is the confidence
that we have in him that if we ask
anything according to his will he hears
us and if we know that he hears us we
know that we have the petition we
desired of him so we have the promises
so watch this obey God listen to him and
watch him work it’ll work amen
father we think of the simplicity of
your word you didn’t make it difficult
for us on the sand you made it simple
and plain so that we will listen to you
more carefully we listen to discern your
will from our will you want to grow us
up not just in a single answer but Lord
we know that you take great delight
and granting to us the desires of our
heart whoever seated here this morning
is praying about whatever is on their
heart and struggling with because it has
not happened yet would you grant them
the understanding even now that the
answer will come if it’s your will it’ll
come in your timing if we were obeying
you following your word and trusting you
we love you for loving us father in
Jesus name Amen
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